Summit Homes and Properties is a weekly real estate magazine published by the Summit Daily News in Summit County, Colorado.  We believe it is important to not only provide a thorough home inspection, but that it is equally important to be a spokesman for our industry.  As such, we author home inspection articles.

• Sellers Inspections – Streamlining Real Estate Transactions
  
  
• Reducing the Home Buying Stress – One Step at a Time
  
  
• Radon, should you be Concerned?
  

Article #1 – Sellers Inspections – Streamlining Real Estate Transactions

Some properties seem to fly off the MLS before one can say “Real Estate in Summit County,” while others sit for months. Why is this? What can you do to assure that your property isn’t the one that sits?

The following is in part, an excerpt from Nick Gromicko, a former realtor and Founder of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI). Seller inspections (sometimes referred to as pre-listing inspections) are becoming more popular because they virtually eliminate all the pitfalls and hassles associated with waiting to do the inspection until a buyer is found.

Seller inspections are a benefit to all parties in a real estate transaction. The seller and seller’s broker are showing full cooperation and honesty about the home. Repairs made ahead of time make the listing show better.  The deal is less likely to fall apart when a buyer’s inspection unexpectedly reveals a problem last minute.

The inspection report can be used as a marketing tool. When a potential buyer sees that the seller has taken the time to have a pre-sale inspection, it gives the buyer confidence that surprise defects are eliminated and problems are corrected or at least acknowledged prior to making an offer on the home. A seller inspection reduces the need for negotiations and 11th hour renegotiations.  The report provides a more accurate, third party view of the property prior to making an offer. As the buyer, you may want to consider hiring the inspector (now familiar with the home) to re-inspect repairs and maintenance listed as corrected.

In summary, seller inspections streamline the real estate sales process for all parties involved.
NACHI (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors) recommends that every home be inspected before being listed.


Article #2 – Reducing the Home Buying Stress – One Step at a Time

Buying a mountain vacation property, purchasing your family home? The buying process can be stressful whether you are a veteran or a first timer.  There are many aspects involved, and mountain properties often have systems unfamiliar to other regions in the country. For example, hot water baseboard heating and in-floor radiant heat are common in the mountains, but unlikely in Florida.  There are also a lot of different people involved in the buying process - realtors, mortgage brokers, appraisers, home inspectors, not to mention, a stack of papers six inches high. Even the buying language can be different, and state laws are not always the same.

Often times, Summit County buyers have seen a property for less than thirty minutes before submitting an offer. At this point, questions surface faster than it took to make the offer. Is this a good investment? Does the heating function? What if the boiler needs replacing? Is the foundation sound? Can I afford it? In a typical offer, the buyer has approximately 15 days to hire a home inspector to inspect the property.

Although many buyers and sellers are as uncomfortable with a home inspection as getting a tooth pulled, the home inspection process is intended to give you peace of mind.  A home cannot “fail” a home inspection.  The home inspection enables you to know your property inside and out.  You’ll know if the heating, electrical, and plumbing are operating correctly. You’ll learn what shape the roof is in (without having to walk up there yourself!). Your inspector will check out the exterior, foundation, attic, and crawlspace to look for moisture and related problems.  Your inspector will operate the appliances and check the furnace, boiler, and hot water heater.  Simply put, your inspector will operate all the major systems in the home.

Think about when you purchase a used car. You take it to a mechanic, an unbiased third party, to find out how things are working. Are the brakes in good shape, does the car run smooth?  The home inspector is to home buying what a mechanic is to car buying.  However, sometimes this “peace of mind” isn’t so peaceful. You are asked to absorb a lot of information in a short period of time. The home inspection includes a written report, an electronic report, a summary, photographs, sometimes environmental reports, and what the inspector himself says. If you are on a well and septic system, you have further inspections to consider. All of this combined with the seller’s disclosure, what you notice yourself, and a pile of papers that need to be reviewed, it can be overwhelming.

Take it one step at a time. There may be many items listed on the home inspection report. Ask your inspector about the importance of the items. Be sure you understand how to read the report. If your property is older, you can’t expect it to be perfect. A property on a rental program may look different than a property with an absentee owner that visited once a year.

Can you expect the seller to fix everything listed in the home inspection?  No.  You may ask for an allowance or a reduction in the price, but the seller is not obligated. This is one of many aspects where your realtor can be of great help.  Discussing the home inspection report with your buyer’s representative is the next step. He or she can help you realistically determine what is likely to be your responsibility and what you can ask of the owner.

Local realtors know the mountain home market best. Use the real estate professionals. There are a lot of people involved, but taking the home buying process one step at a time will reduce the stress. All you’ll have left is to enjoy your new home in the mountains!


Article #3 – Radon, should you be Concerned?

People have various levels of concern about radon. Second home buyers who live in their homes only part time, are often not as concerned about radon as much as full time residents. Properties with shared foundations such as condos may have less concern particularly if they are on the middle or top floor. Some property owners have mitigation systems installed, others do not. The fact is Summit County can have higher than EPA recommended levels of radon. The good news is that radon levels can be reduced. The bad news is that studies have shown that long term exposure to radon can lead to an increased potential of lung cancer.

Should you be concerned about radon? You should be concerned enough to educate yourself. Talk to your home inspector and your realtor. Ask whether your inspector is qualified to test for radon. It usually requires more time, but you can also purchase radon home test kits at the hardware store. How long you plan to live in the home? When you sell the property will the new buyer be concerned about radon? Do you have children? The state of Colorado has a helpful website: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/rad/radon/radonfaq.htm

The following is an excerpt from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:

“More and more, informed buyers are having radon tests performed when considering the purchase of a home. Finding elevated concentrations of radon doesn’t mean you should walk away from your real estate purchase. Radon reduction technology has improved so much over the last few years that reducing radon is easy and affordable. If you like a home, buy it, radon can be reduced.

Radon is an invisible, radioactive gas created from natural deposits of uranium and radon in the soil. Radon gas can be drawn into a building and accumulate to concentrations that can increase the potential for contracting lung cancer.”

Colorado Radon Facts:

• Elevated levels of radon are found in both new and old buildings
• Radon can be found in buildings other than homes
• Radon can be found in homes built on all types of foundations, including crawlspaces and slab-on grade basements
• Radon is not just a concern in Colorado. Many other states have a high percentage of homes with elevated radon levels
• Radon can vary from house to house. The only way to know how much radon may be in the house you are buying is to have it tested

Radon testing is simple, here is a common approach:

• Find the house you want to buy
• As part of the home inspection process, request a short-term radon test using a qualified radon measurement professional
• If the short-term test result is less than 4.0 pCi/L, the EPA does not recommend any follow-up action
• If the short-term test result is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, then consider radon mitigation, or consider purchasing the home and performing a long-term test (typically 91 days to one year) to determine what the actual exposure is

Once you decide to reduce the radon in the house, seek bids from qualified contractors who are willing to guarantee and warranty results.  Use bids from contractors to either fix the home prior to moving in, or after you take possession.